“I know he doesn’t trust me at all...you know, because of that little restraining order problem...but I am an heiress so I can offer him a lot while he’s here on earth. Money talks. He doesn’t have to trust me, he just has to want what I can offer him. I will make a phone call and have him meet me tonight and see what I can do.”
“He is our only way to get it; work your magic.”
Frankie’s neon blue sign was brightly lit above the front door and the windows were dark tinted glass, making it hard to see who was inside. The parking lot was pretty scarce that night when I pulled up which left me a little uneasy. I assumed Devon – or Lilith – would be a little less apt to strike me dead if there were multiple witnesses in the vicinity. I was kinda screwed given the nonexistence of people around.
I opened the door and walked inside, hoping to God my plan worked to coax Devon into retrieving the dagger and handing it over to me so I could use it against Lilith. I was going to promise him big things too; I just hoped he was alone.
I could see him from across the room sitting at a partially hidden booth, sipping his bourbon on the rocks with a lit cigar in his hand. I slid into the booth across from him, feeling his eyes look me up and down with no emotion for me to feed off of.
“You’re already drinking without me?” I tried to lighten the tense energy that was so thick in the air, I could slice it with a knife.
“Hello, Holland. Would you like a drink as well or are you just here for business?”
“Sure, I’ll have a Midori Sour with an extra cherry and yes, I’m here for business.”
He signaled for the waitress and once she brought my drink, I decided it was now or never to give him my offer.
“Look, Devon, I know you’re still angry at me and that is why you want to kill me for Lilith, but is one tiny little restraining order worthy of death?”
“You led me to believe we had something special between us. When you called the cops on me it devastated me not only personally but professionally.”
“Devon, it was one night at a party after too many drinks. I don’t know what led you to believe there was something more. I’m not known for settling down, it’s been all over the tabloids multiple times. I know you wanted more from me, but I also know with all of that aside, you want more power.”
“One can never have enough power. You should know that given the family you come from. Your father had no reserve for anyone as he climbed his way to the top, stepping on everyone on his way up.”
“My father had way more issues than I knew about. He’s not a good man, we can agree on that. What you don’t understand is you have gotten yourself involved in something very evil, and Lilith is using you. You are selling your soul to a demon that doesn’t even have the power to really give you what you want.”
“Yes, she does. She promised me more than I have ever been able to attain in my life.”
“You’re wrong. She was banished from Hell; it takes a lot to get banished from Hell. I work for Lucifer, you know, the lord of all evil. I can make you a deal with the devil that will make you very, very happy. I am also an Ellenberger heiress.”
“I’m listening.” He watched me over his glass as he took another sip.
“If you can get that dagger she has and lead me to where she is, I promise you that Lucifer will reward you with anything your heart desires once she is dead, as well as me. I have more money than you could ever dream of; if you help me, it’s all yours.”
“How do you know about the dagger?”
“I saw it in my dream. I am a demon now too, and I am here on a special job for Lucifer. I get rewarded by him for being a very...very good girl.” I seductively licked my lips which made him swallow hard. I still had a little pull over him. “I could get you whatever you desire by just the snap of my fingers.”
I was totally bullshitting him, but he was a psycho that would listen to anyone if it meant he got something out of the deal. All I cared about was getting him on my side and getting the hell out of that place.
“How do I know you won’t kill me along with her?”
“Now, why would I do that if you help me? Don’t you trust me a little more than that, Devon? I always keep my word, I’m an Ellenberger.” I grabbed onto his knee, running my hand up his leg until I got right to the area that bulged underneath his dress pants, showing me my seduction was working quite well.
It also helped I had been given an extra special power of seduction when I was sent back to earth, to help to persuade all those stupid fucking men to follow me to Hell. Lucifer had basically said he wanted me to be his new Lilith. I just didn’t think I would meet the real Lilith on a rampage to murder me or I would have rethought my deal with him.
He was breathing heavy. “You don’t know what you do to me, Holland. If I help you, will I really get to meet Lucifer?”
Oh, he was going to meet him alright.
“Yes, I cross my heart. Tell me what you desire, and I will make it happen.”
“I want to be the highest paid and most sought-after lawyer in LA.”
“You will be.”
“And...I want your inheritance.”
“Get me the dagger, bring me to Lilith, and consider it done. I will talk to Lucifer tonight and sign the deal in blood.”
He lowered his brows looking at me with distrust in his eyes. “How do I know this isn’t all bullshit?”
I grabbed the pocketknife he had put on the table next to his keys and sliced down the middle of my hand, watching him flinch in shock when blood began to pour from the cut. I drew a pentagram on the table with the blood. “Consider the blood deal half done.”
He was naive enough not to know that everything I was doing was 100% fabricated and as long as it was working to get him on my side, I didn’t care that I looked like a fucking idiot, drawing blood pentagrams on the table. If Lucifer was watching, I’m sure he would be shaking his head at me.
“Also, I want one more night with you.”
My stomach tightened. I was so close to compromise and he had to throw a terrible wrench into my plan. I did not want to sleep with Devon again; I had already made that mistake once and now look at where it had gotten me.
I swallowed hard trying to hide my distaste from him. “Okay...I will give you that but only after I know you have the dagger and aren’t going to double-cross me.”
He sighed. “I’ll help you, but it isn’t going to be easy. Somehow Lilith knows my every move and she knows I am here with you tonight.”
“I’m sure she does know, but what she doesn’t know is what we talked about. All you have to do is tell her where I am going to be, and she will show up. Just tell her that I’m meeting Roman for a romantic date and will be alone for a short time, and I guarantee she will come running before he can get to me.”
“Why would that cause her to come?”
“You do know Roman was her past lover, right? That’s why she’s using you to get revenge on him by killing me. Answer me this, Devon, why did Lilith come to you instead of just finding me on her own?”
“Because I wanted revenge too. She showed up in my dream and warned me that someone from my past was coming to send me to Hell. When she told me your name, I agreed to help her. The night we went to the hotel went completely different than planned. I wasn’t supposed to let you in on anything and just bring you straight to her, but once you were there in front of me, I froze up and couldn’t follow through the way she had intended.”